Gallup: Israel’s critics are younger, less educated, less informed and more Democratic

posted at 10:41 am on July 25, 2014 by Guy Benson

First, the reassuring news: Americans’ pro-Israel sentiments remain near an all-time high, according to Pew’s latest numbers, and CNN measures public support for Israel’s recent actions against Hamas at a robust (57/43). Gallup’s latest nationwide survey, however, shows a much closer split on the righteousness of Israel’s defensive military campaign — although only a fractional minority is willing to defend Hamas’ terror campaign:

According to Gallup’s internals, self-identifying Republicans are the primary reason Israel’s actions attract plurality support in this poll. GOP-leaners back Israel’s actions by a whopping 44-point margin; the numbers turn upside-down among independents (-10), and especially Democrats (-16). The cohorts least likely to label Israel’s attacks against Hamas as “justified” are young people (-26), non-whites (-24), women (-11), and people with a high school education or less (-11) — namely, the Democratic coalition. On a not-unrelated note, Americans who are under-informed about the issue tend to break heavily against Israel, whereas those who say they’re following developments at least “somewhat closely” back our democratic ally:

I’d ask what it would take for the “not justified” crowd to shift in Israel’s favor on this question, but the answers are depressingly obvious: Accurate information and/or more dead Israelis. Those are the primary antidotes to the biased and lazy mainstream media’s false equivalencies and context-free body count obsession. If Israel were less adept at protecting its innocents, and if Hamas actually tried to spare its civilians instead of intentionally putting them in harm’s way, low-information Americans might be spared the various monuments to “moral lunacy,” erected by people like Jon Stewart:

Mr. Stewart asserted that both sides–Israel and Hamas–are engaging in aerial bombardment. But because Israel is more effective at prosecuting the war, and because more Palestinians than Israelis are dying, Israel is the more guilty party. It’s framed as an example of moral equivalence, but with Israel more morally culpable because of the “asymmetric” nature of the conflict. This is moral lunacy. You would never know from watching Stewart that Hamas is dedicated to the destruction of the Jewish state (and says so in its charter); that Hamas started the war; that Hamas wants to escalate the war; that Hamas has refused repeated ceasefires; and that Hamas is using innocent Palestinians as human shields by, for example, using hospitals and schools for military purposes. You would never know, in other words, that Hamas has a vested interest in more dead Palestinians, precisely in the hopes that people like Jon Stewart will make Israel out to be the more malicious of the two combatants. And when Stewart ridicules Israel for warning Palestinians to evacuate before the IDF strikes military targets in Gaza–”Evacuate to where!?”–he is displaying (at best) an embarrassing ignorance. Israel actually drops leaflets with maps indicating where residents of Gaza can go–specific sites–where they’ll be unharmed. So Israel is instructing Gazans to leave dangerous combat zones. And what about Hamas? It’s urging Gazans to stay. Why? In order for them to be killed.

Exit question: Might the polling data described above induce some self-reflection among strongly pro-Israel Democrats? (Gosh, many of the people upon whom my party relies most heavily to win elections are either frighteningly ignorant, or have highly suspect moral compasses, on this critically important issue. Perhaps I am voting for, and donating to, the incorrect party!) Establishment Democrats — who dominate their party’s apparatus — are quite strong on Israel, thankfully. The party’s present and future base? Not so much.

Liberals in the U.S. backed Israel for it’s first 30 years in large part because it was run by the Labor Party, which was extremely fond of socialist government on the home front. Likud isn’t exactly the Tea Party, but the bonds between liberals and Israel started fraying in 1977 when Begin won office, and have continued to go downhill over the past 37 years, during which Likud has been in power most of the time.

(Bill Clinton even sent James Carvelle over to Israel in 1999 to make sure Ehud Barak and Labor won the election, so he’d have someone more likely to give in on a deal with Arafat and win Clinton a Nobel Peace Prize. Arafat scuttled that plan, the Intifada followed, and now we’re at the point where Hamas is using all their foreign aid for rockets and tunnels, and more and more liberals simply see Israel as the equivalent of just another Red State that opposes the Democrats time after time. Since to them Benjamin Netanyahu might as well be Scott Walker, Rick Perry or Bobby Jindal, it’s no surprise their hatred for Israel would be on the rise.)

Huh. That’s weird. I thought that anti-Israeli sentiment was the manufactured production of the elite academy. When it seems to be a cross-class phenomenon amongst those educated on the subject. Isn’t that precisely what conservatives argue makes their positions valid. That the “real American working class” or “main street” forms sound political opinions regardless of their formal education. This poll suggests the same is true of Israel’s critics. In fact, if you think about the Reagan age, there were many working class 20-30 somethings who supported his hard swing to the right. This seems like a generational shift.

Anyone who can google “The Holocaust” can see that the Israeli state is no where near experiencing a repeat of the Holocaust. They are backed by the United States, the most powerful nation in the world. And really, for most of you, that’s what this is all about. You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally. The same people who moon over Israel also are all in a tizzy about Putin, because they want a revival of the Cold War, where America did whatever it wanted, wherever it wanted. Israel’s lack of legitimacy is a lack of American legitimacy. This isn’t a sound policy position, it is about ego. And in fact, Howard Stern revealed that in his rant that you all loved so much.

That quote about Stewart really misunderstood his point. He wasn’t saying anything positive about Hamas. He never has. What the segment referred to was about was how saying ANYTHING criticizing Israel is paramount to high crimes. He is commenting on the fact that the level of discourse in our media/nation has devolved to an “Us vs. Them” mentality.

Jon Stewart is Jewish and certainly pro-Israel if you watch his show enough. However, he tries to frame his show as a critique of the way discussions are had. The right views it as an attack against the right. The left, also views it that way and therefore cheers him on. But that is not what he is trying to do.

Not anti-Semitic – at least, never from my personal experience – but thoroughly brainwashed to blindly follow their authority figures, of whom many happen to be race hustlers and Democrat propagandists. Also, do not discount the enormous rate of conversion to Islam among African American cellmates, mostly for practical gain but also for the culture of oppression and superiority it offers.

Anyone who can google “The Holocaust” can see that the Israeli state is no where near experiencing a repeat of the Holocaust. They are backed by the United States, the most powerful nation in the world. And really, for most of you, that’s what this is all about. You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally. The same people who moon over Israel also are all in a tizzy about Putin, because they want a revival of the Cold War, where America did whatever it wanted, wherever it wanted. Israel’s lack of legitimacy is a lack of American legitimacy. This isn’t a sound policy position, it is about ego. And in fact, Howard Stern revealed that in his rant that you all loved so much.

libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:59 AM

Anyone with two functional braincells can see that you are a anti-semitic pervert.

This comes as no surprise. Nearly all my Facebook friends are on the Left and, as of late, we’ve gotten into many skirmishes over Operation Protective Edge. As expected, their arguments result in a false equivalence that results from the exclusion of the aggression of Hamas controlled Gaza. Sometimes they blather with the “stolen land” and occupation meme. AND THEN there are the younger libertarians (I identify as a libertarian). WOW! For a group of people whom I’ve seen rout and discredit liberals, they sure have a consensus with the liberals on this issue. In fact, their arguments are identically intellectually dishonest.

Anyone who can google “The Holocaust” can see that the Israeli state is no where near experiencing a repeat of the Holocaust.

1. The prof’s grammar is lacking. “Nowhere” is the correct form. Did this person go to the John Walsh School of Advanced Degrees?
2. In case you haven’t noticed, LFOD, Hamas’ charter calls for the express destruction of the Israeli state. Translation: A second Holocaust. Is there something wrong with defending yourself against such a recurrence? In LFOD’s mind, there certainly is.

They are backed by the United States, the most powerful nation in the world. And really, for most of you, that’s what this is all about. You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally.

1. Over the past 5.5 years, Israel has NOT been backed effectively by the United States… except maybe into a corner.
2. To draw from Paraphrased Quotations from LFOD’s Dear Leader, BHOPBUH, “They bring a knife; we bring a gun.” Gee, Israel is just following the advice of LFOD’s Hero!

The same people who moon over Israel also are all in a tizzy about Putin, because they want a revival of the Cold War, where America did whatever it wanted, wherever it wanted. Israel’s lack of legitimacy is a lack of American legitimacy. This isn’t a sound policy position, it is about ego. And in fact, Howard Stern revealed that in his rant that you all loved so much.

1. Ignorance is bliss. LFOD must be among the happiest people alive. In its own way, LFOD has proven Howard Stern’s point. QED.

FWIW, I’m with libfreeordie on this one. Shut down, dismantle, destroy, and/or pull out all Israeli water, fuel, and electricity in the area in order to let the Palestinians live as an unoccupied, free, and independent entity.

Holder believes that whites are “cowards” because we don’t acknowledge that we deserve our women to be raped, assaulted, we deserve to be mugged, and our property robbed, and hell, we deserve even to be killed.

I used to live in a fairly Jewish part of Houston. As I was becoming more politically aware I found that almost every Jewish neighbor identified as a democrat (they are big about signs and bumper stickers). An exception was the Israeli couple on the block. They were very conservative and did not care for dems at all.

Anyone who can google “The Holocaust” can see that the Israeli state is no where near experiencing a repeat of the Holocaust. They are backed by the United States, the most powerful nation in the world. And really, for most of you, that’s what this is all about. You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally. The same people who moon over Israel also are all in a tizzy about Putin, because they want a revival of the Cold War, where America did whatever it wanted, wherever it wanted. Israel’s lack of legitimacy is a lack of American legitimacy. This isn’t a sound policy position, it is about ego. And in fact, Howard Stern revealed that in his rant that you all loved so much.

libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:59 AM

I’m sure the relatives of the Israeli dead will be comforted by this profound statement.

You are right though, there will be no repeat of the Holocaust . . . Israel has weapons and is not afraid to use them, will never give them up, reliable delivery methods for their nukes and the balls to use them if required.

FWIW, I’m with libfreeordie on this one. Shut down, dismantle, destroy, and/or pull out all Israeli water, fuel, and electricity in the area in order to let the Palestinians live as an unoccupied, free, and independent entity.

… Also, do not discount the enormous rate of conversion to Islam among African American cellmates, mostly for practical gain but also for the culture of oppression and superiority it offers.

Rix on July 25, 2014 at 11:09 AM

Yes, American blacks falling for islam, -too stupid to understand that it was muzz traders that made blacks into slaves and took them out of Africa and brought them to the US, and to South and Central America.

This isn’t a sound policy position, it is about ego. And in fact, Howard Stern revealed that in his rant that you all loved so much.

libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:59 AM

The Palestinians are the ones with the ego problem, that is why leftists, like yourself, defend them.

This is now a war of the Palestinians choosing. Let’s see if they can finally destroy Israel as the Hamas charter calls for. They want to launch rockets to the civilian population of Israel and no one says anything. I think this war should be over once Gaza is reduced to a parking lot.

You call 57/43 “robust support”? I think it’s a f*cking disgrace that support is so low. We’re not talking about two groups that have simple idealogical differences, this is between civilized people and barbarians.

FWIW, I’m with libfreeordie on this one. Shut down, dismantle, destroy, and/or pull out all Israeli water, fuel, and electricity in the area in order to let the Palestinians live as an unoccupied, free, and independent entity.

rogerb on July 25, 2014 at 11:19 AM

I see what you did there rogerb…

oscarwilde on July 25, 2014 at 11:29 AM

I’m no straight ticket fellow. I have no problem acknowledging a good idea even if it originates from a side of the aisle I can’t even see from my part of the room.

A good idea is a good idea regardless, and LFOD presented a sound proposal.

– the map of the mideast on the wall of her classroom with Palestine but no Israel on it.

– always saying “the Palestinian nation” vs “the so-called state of Israel” (i used to hear that one a lot in history class at college from a flaming-lib jew-hating assistant lecturer who was ga-ga for dukakis).

– Her “Intifada” tramp stamp tattoo. Wait, no.

And the easiest and deadest giveaway:

– ends every discussion or lecture about how all the problems in the Arab/Islamic world are the singular fault of George W Bush, who she hates more than anyone or anything on earth…except maybe Dick Cheney, and then Reagan, Pete Wilson, Clarence Thomas, her mom’s boyfriend, her former manager at Sonic and that juvy court judge that one time.

Ah yes, the good ol’ Cold War, when the U.S. was able to do anything it wanted unchecked by another, hostile global superpower. Not like the post-Soviet era, when the U.S. was hamstrung by pesky non-state actors and…the U.N., I guess. Good thing the U.N. was able to keep the U.S. from invading not one but two middle east countries!

Libfree, do you literally ride the short bus? The statements you make are just so…retarded, it’s beyond comprehension how you manage to put your pants on in the morning, let alone open your web browser, navigate to HA, log in to your account, and arrange words into something approaching a coherent sentence.

LFOD doesn’t have to, he’s permanently logged into Stormfront. That’s where he gets his foreign policy from, along with TIYBOK, coolrepublica and the rest of the “leftist” Nazis.

“good number of them are actually indigenous to ‘poland …”

The majority of Israel’s Jews are Middle Eastern now, kicked out of countries where they had lived thousands of years, far longer than the “Palestinians” in Palestine. TIYBOK of course wants them sent to Auschwitz, I mean Poland …

You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally.
libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:59 AM

Precisely, it’s like WW2, where we killed WAY more Nazi Germans than they killed of the allies; but for some absurd reason people think the NAZIS were the bad guys.

If your opponents can kill more of you than you can kill of them, they should NOT and should allow you to commit genocide… because genocide is good, when you’re killing a minority and suffering losses of your own.

Oh, that isn’t your view? Ok… so when is the attempted slaughter of a minority population in a region because you hate all of them good, and when is it bad?

I get that you support Hamas, think they shouldn’t be hindered, and their goal is clearly genocide for Israel.

Amazing that you support diversity, minorities, inclusion AND genocide of minorities in a reguion when people don’t like them. That is some impressive double-think you’ve got going on there.

Clearly the messages being received derive from a strategy to target the demographic stated above. Except in Sweden and Norway, their pet ethnic/religion are the very ones who fit the target of disinformation.

You know that Israel is significantly stronger, that Hamas while a threat, exacts nothing like the violence Israel does. But you get off a little bit knowing that they can do that merely because of the power of the U.S. on the security council and in international relations generally.
libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:59 AM

School Choice…our educational system is a leftist joke and the faster we move tax dollars to private sector education the better.

This is only going to get worse until conservatives and republicans go full throttle school choice, even if needs to be imposed at a national level. It is the only way to break up the teacher’s unions and communist indoctrination programs called the public school system. If we are willing to spend trillions on defense to protect ourselves from Islamist and Communist over the last 50 years then we can at least defend our young from them in our school systems.

Plus it makes good press, allowing school choice sounds liberating…because it is!

Huh. That’s weird. I thought that anti-Israeli sentiment was the manufactured production of the elite academy. When it seems to be a cross-class phenomenon amongst those educated on the subject. Isn’t that precisely what conservatives argue makes their positions valid. That the “real American working class” or “main street” forms sound political opinions regardless of their formal education. This poll suggests the same is true of Israel’s critics. In fact, if you think about the Reagan age, there were many working class 20-30 somethings who supported his hard swing to the right. This seems like a generational shift.

libfreeordie on July 25, 2014 at 10:55 AM

Good god…so you think it is cool that this generational shift supports the modern day “Nazis”.

Sort of supports my whole view of “progressives” being a bunch of lunatics, just like Hamas. BTW do you think the Lions Club and Rotary Club are part of a Zionist conspiracy?

This conflict would end tomorrow if Hamas stopped using Palestinian human shields to defend missiles and took the Israeli approach of using Israeli missile shields to defend humans.

Wish libby could figure that out, but I doubt he’s so much as examined the Hamas charter a single time.

Palestine is usually given two choices at election time. The Hamas terrorists or the Fatah looters. They are an ungovernable people who just can’t let the bloodlust go or overcome their inadequacy about living in the shadow of the superior cultural, intellectual, and moral contributions of the despised Jewish State.

They hate the Jews more than they love their children, and it has always been that way.

Is this thing LIBFREEORDIE,,, totally unaware that Humas wants Israel eliminated totally just as the PLO wants??????????????? Is he/she also unaware that Humas kidnaps, murders and sends rockets to Israel before this war begun? How educated is this baffoon?????. Would this jack ass protest the USA fighting Japan and Germany back during WW2? Does LIBFREE knows what muzzies do to gheys, and that they don’t favor abortion. So how does this idiot come to his conclusions?